A life for myself
by Axioms and Theorems
Summary: Forced to give up his dream of attending a world famous music academy, Lovino Vargas spends his time working dead-end jobs and taking care of his mother and younger brother. But he didn't mind. Not really. But when a certain Spaniard moved to the wealthy side of his town, Lovino began to struggle between his obligations and fulfilling his dreams. Spamano.
1. Got to be more than this

_The Italian Festival Hall was filled with music aficionados. The men wore dinner jackets and the women were dressed in beautiful evening gowns. It was a gala evening and there was a feeling of excited expectation in the grand hall. A glance at the programme revealed the highlight of the event. The Italian Philharmonic Orchestra, with a very special guest, internationally celebrated pianist, Maestro Lovino Vargas._

_The conductor appeared onstage and the audience applauded. The applause grew as a young man wearing a white tie and tails took his place at the piano at center stage. The conductor gave a down-beat and the music began._

_Lovino's fingers flashed across the keys. His body swayed in perfect rhythm, and the lights from the stage made his chocolate-brown hair glisten. There was a drum roll from the orchestra and Lovino played four bars alone, and the orchestra began to play faster and faster. _

"_My goodness, he's really wonderful!"_

"_Amazing talent at such a young age…"_

"_He plays Rachmaminoff so brilliantly."_

_The tempo of the music was increasing, reverberating through the hall. The music came to a sudden climax and stopped, and the audience was at its feet, cheering and applauding. The young pianist stood up, smiling, and took a bow. There were shouts of bravo! all around the grand hall. The young famed pianist gave another bow and – _

"Excuse me, how much is the discount for that violin by the window?"

Lovino gritted his teeth, trying not to snarl at the customer who interrupted his, well, daydreaming. He got up from the piano bench and addressed the girl behind him. "Ten percent discount, twenty if you pay in cash," he replied in a monotonous voice.

"Oh, okay then. I guess I'll just come back tomorrow. Thanks." And with that the girl bounced out of the store. _Typical. _Lovino thought ruefully as he settled back down on the piano and skillfully ran his fingers through the keys. _Damn tourists come in all the time, yet they never buy anything. _After a quick glance around to make sure there aren't any other customers, Lovino resumed his rendition of the Paganini Rhapsody.

So, okay, he may not be performing at the Italian Festival Hall, but rather playing the old rundown piano at the Duniani Music Store to attract customers. His audience may not be fellow musicians and music aficionados, but rather tourists or teenagers just mindlessly wandering about, probably won't even know the difference between a sonata and a symphony. And he may not be an internationally acclaimed solo pianist, but rather a high school graduate making ends meet by working dead-end jobs.

But if there's one thing that's absolutely real in Lovino's fantasy, it's his talent.

Oh yes. The young man can definitely play. The way his lithe fingers dance across the keys, as if they move on their own accord. The way his body swayed in time with the music that emanates from the instrument. It was a masterpiece. As his former piano teacher had said: "You've got to do something about your talent. Don't let it go to waste."

Lovino had a dream. A dream of being one of the world's most renowned musicians, writing concertos, receiving accolades from critics in music circles. A dream of providing a better home for himself, his mother, and his little brother.

But for now, his dream was shelved, and in the meantime, he was stuck waiting for his co-worker to relieve him of his shift. _Damn bastard doesn't know how to show up on time,_ he thought irritably.

As if somehow Lovino's thoughts conjured him up, a blonde with chin-length hair, green eyes and purple backpack burst flounced inside the store. "I'm, like, so sorry I'm late. Traffic was so terrible and I have to, like, walk the last five blocks just to get here." He strutted towards the cashier's table and dropped his backpack.

Lovino glowered at him, gathering up his things. "Whatever, Feliks. I'm outta here. Make sure you lock up after your shift," he added, then headed towards the front of the store where his bike was waiting.

"Alrighty! I'll see yah, like, tomorrow then! Oh no, I guess I won't" After a half-hearted wave behind him, he picked up his rusty old bike and paddled north.

* * *

"Mom? Feliciano?" Lovino called out to the shabby but otherwise neat apartment. He dropped his keys into a bowl near the door and headed to the living room.

"Ve… I'm here, fratello!" sang a small, chirpy voice from the kitchen. Lovino went there and found his five-year old brother on the table, slightly pre-occupied with his drawing. The older brother walked towards him and ruffled his hair in greeting.

"Hey, buddy. Where's mom?" Lovino asked as he walked towards the refrigerator, frowning when he saw that it was almost empty. _Better go grocery shopping soon. _

The smaller brunet looked up from his art and turned to his brother with a somber expression not fit for a five-year old. "I don't know," the child said simply. "She didn't tell me. She just left and told me to wait for you."

Lovino muttered a curse, shoving hand through his chocolate brown hair. "She was supposed to look after you while I work my shift at the diner. Where the hell could she possibly be?" Although he shouldn't be surprised. After all, their mom had a habit of disappearing for several days then suddenly reappearing. It frustrated him a lot, especially since he's the one working his ass off. Lovino glanced around the house and cursed again. Stacks of unwashed dishes lay on the sink, freshly washed clothes were piled on the sofa waiting to be folded and sorted. Empty beer cans were scattered sporadically.

_I don't have time for this. _Lovino thought irritably. He stepped towards his brother and laid his arm around his shoulders. "Hey, fratellino. What did you have for lunch today?"

Feliciano looked up at him sadly. "Nothing yet."

His older brother took a deep breath to calm himself and said instead "All right then. How about I make some pasta for us, then after lunch, you come to the diner with me."

Feli's eyes immediately lit up at the word _pasta. _"Ve… okay, fratello! Can I help you make pasta?"

"Sure, buddy." Lovino ruffled his brother's hair before heading to the kitchen and starting on the dishes. _I'm starting to feel like a slave around here, _he thought bitterly, then shook his head.

* * *

"Time to close up, Lovino, dear."

"Yeah, I'm just finishing the dishes, boss," he said as he stacked the last plate onto the rack, trying not to roll his eyes at the endearment and just glanced at his boss. The owner of the Hungarian Diner, Elizaveta, was packing away the leftovers into the oversized refrigerator. She had long brown hair, bright green eyes and a friendly smile. After she closed the fridge, she walked over to where Feliciano was quietly drawing and handed him a glass of milk. Lovino smiled slightly at the motherly way she acted towards his brother. He was thankful that his boss was considerate enough to let him bring Feliciano to work.

Elizaveta walked over next to him and watched him work. The kitchen was sparkling clean, the utensils neatly packed away and the countertops gleaming. She smiled in appreciation of Lovino's hard work. The young man was barely twenty, yet he was the breadwinner of their family. Ever since their father died, Lovino had taken the helm and took care of his mother and younger brother. He had been working in her diner for two years now, and basically she understood the dynamics of the Vargas family. Which made her heart ache every so often for the brothers.

"So, ol' Four-eyes is off to Austria tomorrow, huh? He told Feliks and me that the music store would be closed for a while or something."

Elizaveta gave a start when Lovino spoke. "Oh yes," she replied after a moment. "Roddy's going to hold a concert first in Vienna, then Carinthia, Salzburg, and finally in Tyrol. It's basically an Austrian tour." Her face lit up as she spoke.

"Good for him, then." Lovino couldn't hold back a sigh. Roderich Edelstein was a maestro in his own right. At twenty-five, he was starting to be recognized by more prominent musicians around the world with his own style of music. He owned the music store where Lovino worked, and was also the one who taught the Italian how to play. The two of them have a sort of teacher-student friendship-like relationship.

Lovino was happy for his former teacher, but couldn't help feeling a bit of envy. Roderich was given the opportunity to live his dream, whereas…

"You know," began Elizaveta. "He told me that you can go to his house and play anytime you want. He gave you a key to the backdoor, didn't he?"

"Really? That's really… generous of him. Which is very unusual." Since the music store would be closing, and they don't have a piano at home, he wouldn't have anything to play. Roderich's offer sounded very tempting. He did have a key to the Austrian's house, after all.

"Yup. And you know what else he told me? He said that you were his best student, and he wished that you would be able to continue playing." Elizaveta said. "I heard that the National Center for Performing Arts would be holding auditions for admission. Who knows, if you play as well as you do now, they might consider offering you a scholarship so you won't have to worry about your expenses, and then…"

"Sorry, boss." Lovino cut in, his mood darkening considerably. "Not in this lifetime. I don't think I'm cut out for it, anyway," he said, finishing the counters and dropping the rag in the sink. He then walked over to where Feliciano was. "Hey, buddy, ready to go home?" he asked, gathering up his sleepy brother in his arms.

Elizaveta followed after them. "But, Lovino, dear. Roddy's been telling me how talented you are. Don't you think it's a good idea for you to continue learning in a prestigious academy? Surely your talent will be recognized."

"Been there, done that," the Italian said. With his brother in tow, he headed towards the door of the diner. "I tried that once boss," he said, regret glimmering in his eyes. "It didn't work out." With that he walked towards his bike, and after balancing himself and his brother carefully on it, paddled on home.

* * *

Lovino pulled the covers gently over his brother's body and tucked him in before settling in his own bed. The apartment they lived in only had two bedrooms, so the two brothers shared. It was small and cramped, but otherwise clean. He fluffed the pillows underneath his head and made himself comfortable, plugging his mp3 and selecting "River Flows in You" by Yiruma. He had just began to relax his mind and body when the front door opened and a series of thumps were heard. There was a lot of shuffling, the refrigerator opening and closing, then glass clinking and laughter. Whoever was making the racket was having a good time.

Lovino angrily pulled out his earplugs and stomped towards the living room. "Mom, what the hell?"

Sure enough, there was his mother and a balding, body-builder wanna-be with his arms wrapped around her. Both adults were holding a bottle of beer, and both reeked of cigarettes. Lovino's blood began to boil.

"Hey there, sweetie. Care to join us?" his mother said.

"No, I'm not joining you." Lovino snapped. "I just put Feli to sleep."

His mom went to the drawers and pulled out a bottle opener. "Come on, Feli can sleep through anything," she said as she opened the guy's bottle.

Lovino glared darkly at the both of them. _She's your mother. She's your mother. She's your mother, _he thought to himself. He can't lash out now. Feli's asleep. "Just keep it down, please," he muttered before marching back to their bedroom. He resisted the urge to slam the door and just plopped himself to his bed. In the living room the glass clicking and giggling continued, but in a hushed volume. Lovino turned to his back and plugged his earphones again.

Guess this is gonna be it for the rest of his life.

* * *

**A/N: Well, it's not good, but I just want to get this story off my head. **

**Review if you want, but no flames please. I'm too sensitive!**


	2. Baby it's time to go

**A/N: Goodness me. I didn't expect the warm reception for this story. Thank you to those who reviewed!**

**I don't Hetalia Axis Powers, its characters, and other recognizable figures in this story. The only thing I own is the plot and my OC.**

**AU, OOC.**

* * *

Rare were the moments when Lovino and Feliciano's mother, Carlita, actually acted like a parent. So when she surprisingly stayed home one morning and assured Lovino that she would be taking care of the household, the older Vargas brother took this as an opportunity to have time for himself. He was a bit apprehensive, considering his mom's track record of disappearing, but Carlita mentioned that her childhood friend, a woman from Germany, was coming to visit the apartment. The woman would be bringing her own son, a young boy almost the same age as Feliciano. Therefore, Carlita would be acting responsible for a while.

Since the music store was closed and Lovino's shift at the diner starts at two in the afternoon, he had the morning all to himself. He decided to take their old, battered Chevy and drive to the part of the town he knew all too well. It was a short drive, almost ten minutes, and soon Lovino found himself parking in front of a very familiar and welcoming one-storey house.

The house looked cozy and well-kept, with whitewashed walls with blue trim. There were beds of hydrangeas under the windows, and a small s_ampaguita_ near the door. Lovino spent a lot of time in this house when he was younger, doing homework, listening to Tchaikovsky or Bruch. He had a lot of fun times in this house, back when he was younger and still carefree.

_Back when Mom cared for us and had a decent job and Dad was still with us and we were all happy and all I had to worry about was getting good grades…_

Lovino shook his head, driving away the thoughts as he bounded up the steps to the mahogany front door. He could hear the faint strings of a violin softy humming the opening theme from Princess Mononoke inside the house. The Italian smiled at the familiar melody, letting himself into the unlocked house.

As he stepped inside the living room, he found the person he was looking for, fully occupied with her violin. Her slim build moved and swayed in time with the music, and her eyes were closed in her concentration. Her short, black hair was held in place by a barrette. Lovino smiled at the sight.

"You know, Maan, you'd sound even better if you let your body sway more to the music. You're still too stiff," he said, making the girl jump. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was just him.

"That's some advice coming from a person who'd never played a violin before." She said in a singsong voice, as she stopped playing and placed her violin back in its case. "Besides, I perfected that piece a long time ago. There's no way for me to sound even better because I already sound the best."

Lovino scoffed at her, but in a joking manner. Maan was his best friend, an aspiring musician just like him. They went to elementary and high school together, forming a close bond because of their mutual love for classical music. They always played in duets, she with her violin and him with his piano. They both have dreams of being famous musicians, gaining recognition around the world. Lovino was drawn to her because of her kind and sweet demeanor, which made up for his hot temperament. They were inseparable when they were younger.

But now she received a scholarship at the National Center for Performing Arts for her music. The two of them auditioned at the same time, just before their high school graduation, but only Maan was going to attend. Lovino was happy for his best friend. He really was. She would be leaving in the afternoon, so Lovino stopped by and decided to hang out with her before she catches the bus.

The two of them hopped into Lovino's Chevy and drove to Kundiman's. it was a small, cozy café fifteen blocks away, famous for its hot chocolate and pastries. But what made the place special to the duo was not the food, but rather the electronic keyboard tucked into one corner of the café. The manager put the keyboard right there, and encouraged the customers to play it. Naturally, this was the duo's favorite hang-out.

"Are you excited?" Lovino asked Maan as he handed her a steaming plastic cup filled with hot chocolate and a pastry. They had a table near the window, and Maan was watching the cars driving by when Lovino arrived. She smiled at him as she accepted the chocolate and the pastry.

"Well, of course I'm excited," she began, twiddling the stirrer idly. "It's my dream school." Maan looked up and saw Lovino staring at her. "But I'm really nervous," she added honestly. "I mean, it's wonderful and exciting and all that, but I'm going to be all alone."

Lovino scoffed at her. "You're being melodramatic, Maan. You're going to love it there, I'm sure of it. You're going to fit in just fine and you're gonna make a lot of new friends."

"But I don't want to go there alone!" Maan whined. "We were supposed to go together! We've always been together. We're the dynamic duo. We're Mickey and Minnie, Bonnie and Clyde. Mermaidman and Barnacleboy, Phineas and Ferb, Mary-kate and Ashley…"

Lovino raised his hands to stop her. "Alright, alright, I get the picture. Jeez!" He also frowned at her last couple. "Mary-kate and Ashley? Really?"

Maan chuckled at him. "You know what I mean." Then she smile disappeared. "But seriously, I had no idea why you didn't get accepted! We auditioned at the same time! You were really good. And I know the teachers think you were good. So why didn't you get accepted?"

The Italian just shook his head, gazing out the window for a moment before looking back at his best friend. "I had no idea too. Let's just drop it, okay. The important thing is, you got accepted. At least one of us gets to 'live the dream'". She opened her mouth to protest, but Lovino cut her off. "Look, you're good too. I know you're going to kick butt out there. And I'm happy for you. Really." He finished with a smile.

Maan sighed and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "But I'd feel so much better if we went to the school together…" she leaned towards the table and plopped her chin into her hand. "So what do you plan to do? You have to audition again. I'll be on the lookout for schedules so you'll be prepared…"

"Maan, it's okay," he said, cutting her off. "I don't think I'd be able to get a scholarship anyway. And besides, I've got jobs, remember. I can't let those go. Not now."

The raven-haired girl looked disappointed, but she didn't push the issue. She took a bite of her pastry and changed the subject instead. "I heard Roderich flew to Austria and closed down Duniani."

"Yeah, he went back to his homeland and won't be back for a long time. I'm actually free in the mornings. I think I'll ask Elizaveta to increase my hours at the diner. Feli needs new shoes."

Maan pouted at her best friend. "Oh come on Lovino. Don't you have time to do the things that you want for a change? Ever since we graduated from high school you did nothing but work. You're wasting your talent, dear."

"Look, I don't have a choice. Feli needs to be enrolled in kindergarten. Mom's too busy doing God-knows-what to pay attention. It's actually a miracle she stayed home today. I don't have time for music school right now"

Lovino said it nonchalantly, but Maan could sense the bitterness in his tone. She ached for her best friend, who shelved his dream and chose to take care of his family instead.

The Italian noticed Maan's melancholic expression. "Oh come on, don't go dramatic on me now!" We won't be seeing each other for almost five months. We're supposed to be having fun right now!"

Maan shook of her sadness and smiled at him. "Fine." She glanced around the café, and noticed that nobody was playing the keyboard. "How about the opening theme from Howl's Moving Castle?"

Lovino followed her gaze to the keyboard, then smiled broadly. "No problem."

The manager of the café stepped outside his office for a moment and went to the dining area the moment he heard his two favorite musicians work their magic. Lovino was at the keyboard running his fingers through it, almost as if they were dancing. Maan on the other hand was standing beside him, violin propped under her chin and gracefully sliding her bow through the strings. The music coming from the two talented young people flowed beautifully, just like always.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for this chapter! No Spamano yet, but soon.**

**Maan is my OC, and she's supposed to be Philippines. Or something like that.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Unexpected encounters

A/N: So sorry for not updating in quite a while. You know the usual excuses. Schoolwork, family, blah blah blah

Anyway, I don't own Hetalia or any of its characters.

* * *

Antonio Fernandez Carriedo placed his hands on his hips, breathing in the cool, crisp morning air that only a charming little town can provide. The morning jog around the picturesque streets did wonders to his mind and his respiratory system. This mini-vacation was doing him a lot of good. He _had _been working so much lately.

Around ten in the morning, he breakfasted in one of those quaint cafes tucked in the corner of town. The people who served him were very friendly and, after noticing right away that he was from out of town, treated him like royalty.

"Oh, my. A filmmaker, how wonderful. Are you going to shoot a movie here in our town?" the owner, a kind, plump elderly, gushed when she found out what he did for a living.

Antonio replied with a chuckle. "Well, actually, _senora. _I won't be making any films at the moment. I'm just here for a vacation."

The kind lady beamed at him. "Oh. A vacation, huh? Well, no vacation is complete without trying one of our signature cheesecakes. It's on the house."

After that scrumptious breakfast, Antonio hopped on his Chrysler and drove back home. He figured that he could grab his equipment and shoot some footage from the beach nearby. He may be on vacation, but that doesn't mean he'd miss filming the awesome sights around.

Antonio jogged up the steps toward the elegantly-styled three storey house on the wealthier side of town. His friend had asked the Spaniard to house-sit for a few weeks while he went out of the country. Antonio had whole-heartedly agreed, taking this as an opportunity to take a break from work. He had been here for two days now, and he was enjoying himself very much.

The Spaniard unlocked the double doors and stepped inside the foyer, but before he could close the doors behind him, he sensed something. Nothing wrong, just different. He couldn't point what it is, but it was there.

He moved cautiously inside, trying to figure out what's different. It was only after he made it to the second floor that he realized what it is.

The soft sounds of a piano flowed sweetly through the house, filling the place with gentle melodies. Antonio followed his ears to where the music was coming from. _Maybe it's the radio, but I'm sure I didn't even turn it on. _

When he reached the room where his friend Roderich kept the grand piano, he was more than surprised when he saw a young man with chocolate-brown hair and slim build sitting on it, creating the beautiful music he was hearing. The young man was so engrossed in his playing, and the music he was creating was so lovely, that the Spaniard could not summon the will to interrupt him.

Although, Antonio mused, this person could most likely be a tramp, a thief, or even a serial killer. But then again, what kind of thief, or a killer, would stop and play the piano? It doesn't make any sense. So the Spaniard waited until the man was finished before confronting him. Besides, the music he was making was too good.

Sure enough, the music started to become slower and slower. Antonio listened, mesmerized, as the man played the last few notes of the song in a way the made the Spaniard long to hear more. The pianist swayed his body a bit, letting himself flow in time with the dwindling sound, until finally he came to a stop, his shoulders hunched and his head bowed.

"That was totally awesome!" Antonio blurted out before he could stop himself. He winced, mentally facepalming, when the pianist gave a shout and almost fell out of the chair in surprise. Antonio watched ruefully as the young man flailed his arms wildly, trying to catch his balance. He whirled around, and for a moment Antonio was struck by his vibrant brown eyes. He was shaken from his stupor by a very angry growl and a glare of menace and confusion.

"Who the hell are you and how did you get here?" Lovino (I mean, who else could it be?) spat out as he got up and confronted the Spaniard.

Antonio held out his hands in a placating manner. "Easy there, _amigo. _I could ask you the same question," he said. He immediately came to the conclusion that this guy wasn't a thief or something, so he gave his signature smile. "But to answer your question, I've been living in this house for two days. I have keys to the front door and the back door and all the other doors." As if to prove his point. Antonio fished out his keys to his pocket and jiggled them for Lovino to see.

Lovino stared wide-eyed at the keys, and Antonio could see a faint flush of embarrassment making its way to his face. "H-how did you get those? Did Roderich give them to you?"

Antonio scratched his head. "Oh, so you know Roderich, huh? Well, yeah. He went out of the country…"

"…I know that, bastard."

"…So he asked me to house-sit until he gets back!" Antonio finished with a smile, unfazed by Lovino's insult.

"Oh, what the hell?" Lovino murmured, but loud enough for Antonio to hear. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Elizaveta forgot to mention that, damn it!"

Antonio perked up. "You know Elizaveta too? Does she still own that diner?"

Lovino stared at him in disbelief. "You know what, I'm outta here." Before Antonio could utter another word, the Italian had pushed past him and was racing down the stairs.

"Hey, wait!" Antonio called out. "What's your name?"

His answer was a loud bang at the front door. Antonio chuckled to himself, suddenly invigorated by his mysterious house guest. "Guess I'm going to Elizaveta's today!"

* * *

"What the hell, Maan! It's not funny at all!" Lovino growled angrily, cradling the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he mixed the mushroom gravy with more force than necessary. The thick mixture sloshed out of the bowl and dripped to his shoes, making the short-tempered Italian more frustrated than before. That few minutes with the idiotically cheerful Spaniard was humiliating, at its best.

He had taken up Elizaveta's offer of visiting Roderich's, his former piano teacher, house to play. Of course, that was when he thought he would be alone. How the hell would he know that somebody else would be living there?

After he stormed out of Roderich's house, Lovino went straight to The Hungarian Diner to, well, rant at Elizaveta, but since he couldn't find his boss anywhere, he settled on calling his best friend. Which, in hindsight, was a bad idea, since said best friend couldn't stop laughing at him.

"Maan!"

"Okay, okay I'm sorry," the girl on the other line cried between hiccups. "You've got to admit, that was pretty hilarious."

Lovino slammed the bowl on the counter and grabbed the phone with his hand. "Hilarious? That was one of the most humiliating things I've ever experienced!" he seethed. He still couldn't get over the fact that someone had seen him sneaking into another person's house just to play music. Granted, he was given permission, but still… "Why the hell didn't Elizaveta say something about a house-sitter before?"

"Look, calm down," Maan said in a pacifying manner. "Maybe it just slipped Eliza's mind. You know how she can be a bit of an airhead sometimes. Or maybe she didn't know her boyfriend called for a house-sitter. I don't know. i know you're mad, but don't go Super Saiyan on her, alright?"

Lovino scoffed at the phone. "Easy for you to say. You weren't the one who was caught sneaking into someone's house."

"You weren't sneaking. You had a key."

"But that's not the point! I…" Lovino cut himself off when he heard the door to the diner open, followed by that overly cheerful voice he just heard this morning.

"…do you know who it could be? He took off so fast I didn't get his name."

"I know the only person who could play the piano that well…" Lovino recognized the second voice as Elizaveta's, and his irritation grew twofold.

"Maan, I've got to go. Boss' here," he said quietly, glaring at the newcomers.

"Yeah, yeah. Talk to you later," Maan said good-naturedly.

Lovino decided to –kindly– ignore the duo and focus on his cooking. But unfortunately, Elizaveta had already spotted him.

"Oh look, he's already here. Hey, Lovino! Come out here! There's someone I want you to meet. But I've been told you already met."

Biting back a curse, Lovino stepped out of the kitchen and headed towards the dining room. Elizaveta was sitting on one of the tables, along with that annoying Spaniard.

"Hello again!" Antonio said with a bright smile. "You ran off so quickly I didn't catch your name."

Lovino ignored him, glaring at Elizaveta instead. "Why didn't you tell me there's someone who'd be living in the house? I would've stayed away!"

Elizaveta just gave a flick of her hand. "Must have slipped my mind or something," she said flippantly. "And there's no need to stay away. Roddy said you can visit anytime." She then gestured to the man sitting beside her. "This is our friend Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. He'll be staying at the house until Roddy gets back. You two should get to know each other better."

"Nice to meet you, _amigo_. Can I know your name now?" Antonio said, his eyes twinkling.

Lovino looked away and spat out. "Lovino Vargas. And I'm not your _amigo_. Get that?"

Elizaveta pouted at him. "But I was hoping you could show Antonio around town. Take him our best places or something."

"I don't have time to be a tour guide, alright? Look, nice to meet you and everything, but I've got work to do." Lovino snapped before turning around and marching back towards the kitchen. He missed the twinkle in Elizaveta's eyes, one that said she's up to something.

"Well," Antonio said as he watched Lovino's retreating back. "He's certainly… interesting."

"Oh, he really is." Elizaveta said. "Don't worry, he'll come around." Antonio stared at his long-time friend.

"You're planning something, aren't you?"

* * *

A/N: And so I leave you here. Thanks for reading!


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